A Problem Outside of War
by Berserker Nightwitch
Summary: Jake is worried about a possible sideeffect of the morphing power. He talks to Tobias and Ax to find the answers. Oneshot.


A/N: Okay, before I even get started, I have some things to say. I haven't read a single Animorphs book since around the third Megamorphs / Andalite Chronicles came out. I stopped reading at somewhere around book forty. Most of the major stuff I've forgotten or never read, so please don't get on my case about not following the true storyline. I don't know it, and referring me to books is NOT going to do anything but make me annoyed and cry. One of my last stories someone referred me to a bunch of episodes I had never seen and just picked apart every piece of my fic because the main character was OOC… Sorry… enough rant; on with the story!

oooooooooo

"I promise I'm not diseased! Please don't make me go!"

"You're going, and that's final." The exasperated woman turned to her husband as her younger son left the room. "I don't understand… He's always been willing to go to the doctor before now… And this is just a check-up."

"He's probably just worried about the physical. And besides, he's a teenager. He's bound to start getting weird. At least he only wants to avoid the doctor, instead of dying his hair and getting some girl pregnant."

"You're right… And maybe he'll be back to normal in time for the appointment tomorrow."

>What's wrong, Jake?> Tobias asked as the peregrine falcon flew into his territory.

"I have to go to the doctor tomorrow," Jake sighed as he slumped against Tobias' perch tree. He had been in the process of demorphing when Tobias was asking his question. The boy-turned-hawk hopped out the tree and landed softly next to Jake, all the while morphing to his human state.

"Are you scared of needles or something?" the smaller boy asked, wrapping his arms around himself to keep warm. Jake smirked and passed overthe jacket he had left in Tobias' territory.

"You're an idiot, you know."

"Thanks," Tobias grumbled, making a face at his leader.

"I mean, it's a month away from winter, and you think it would be a good idea to change from warm feathers to skin-tight spandex? And no, I'm not afraid of needles."

"Birds don't really have emotions, and they're not good with helping make people feel better. Besides, you gave me your jacket."

"Loaned."

"Whatever. So, if you aren't afraid of needles then why is there a problem with going to the doctor?"

"It's a checkup." It was obvious by the blank look on his face that Tobias still wasn't following. "They draw blood, then check that blood. What if they find tiger, horse, bird, or alien in me? It would blow our cover!"

"Maybe the DNA we took from the animals stays in a little compartment when we're not using it." Jake raised his eyebrows incredulously. "It was just a theory… You don't have to act like I'm insane… Even if I probably am… We could ask Ax."

"What good would that do?"

"He is of the species that created the morphing technology. Maybe he can tell us what happens to the DNA when we're not using it." Jake shrugged and they both morphed (in Tobias' case demorphed) into birds and took off toward Ax's scoop.

>So how is it that you guys have never run into this problem before?>

>For most of us it's been only about a year since the last check-up, and we've only had this… power for the past eleven months.>

>Has it been almost a year already?>

>Yeah.>

>So people go for checkups once a year?>

>Um… Anywhere from six months to five years is the normal span… Didn't you know that?>

>The last time I had a checkup, aside from Cassie making sure bird me is healthy, was when I was six. We're almost at Ax's scoop.>

>How did you manage to get out of so many checkups?>

>Neither guardian cared enough to take me, and what normal child would ask to see a doctor that they had never met?>

>Never met…>

>The doctor my mom had me at retired about a week before she disappeared.>

>That sucks.>

>No. That's just life. We're here.> The two birds landed at Ax's scoop, morphed/demorphed to human, and walked in. "Ax-man? You here?"

>Tobias! What brings you here?>

"We have a question about the acquired DNA in our systems. We thought that you could maybe help us out?" The blue deer-like creature morphed into his human form to make more room for the two boys… and because he thought the human body was fun.

"What is your question? Tion… ques… estion…"

"Where does the DNA go when we're not using it?" Jake asked, breaking up Ax's word-party.

"What do you mean Prince Jake?"

"Don't call me Prince."

"Yes Prince Jake."

"Anyway… Like… When I'm a human… Where is the acquired DNA?"

"Is it floating around our bloodstreams, or is it kept in some special area…?"

"I do not understand what you mean."

"Jake has to go have blood drawn tomorrow, and we want to make sure that no one will see animal DNA in his blood."

"They will not. When you bleed, you bleed only human DNA. The blood coming out of you will be that of the creature who's form you are using."

"Even drawn blood?"

"Yes. Even drawn blood."

"Okay. Thanks Ax-man."

"My pleasure, Prince Jake."

"Don't call me Prince."

ooooooooooo

"Jake! Are you ready to go?"

"Coming!" The teen bounded down the stairs and hopped in the car. His parents exchanged a look at his 'return to normal'.

"I told you it was just a teenager thing. Nothing more serious than hormones."

A/N: Yeah, I know. What kind of ending was that? I just thought it kinda fit. Please review and let me know what you thought of the fic. I have another Animorphs idea and I would like to know whether or not I should pursue it… I have a friend who has a lot of the books, so I promise I will be catching up on what I've forgotten or missed. Please just let me know.


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